by J. M. Snyder
“You know the clinic down in The Projects?”
“Yes?”
“They’ve gotten a grant and plan on expanding. They’re going to offer health care to the homeless…”
Gus raised his head so he could drink the wine. A content moan slipped out, and Luca tried to remember when they’d last had a glass of wine together. He had no idea. Gus drank some more before retaking his place on Luca’s shoulder.
“So…the homeless?” Luca prompted when Gus didn’t continue. He used his free hand to draw patterns on the soft skin on Gus’s stomach. A circle. A heart. He even wrote his own name, branding Gus as his in invisible ink.
Gus hummed, and his breathing calmed and became more regular. His voice lost its strain, and he sounded relaxed when he continued. “Yes. The director called me and offered a job, but—”
“Take it!” Luca interrupted before Gus had time to tell him any details. “It sounds perfect for you.”
And it did. Gus had the biggest heart of anyone Luca knew and was unhappy about the fact that he worked too much to have time to volunteer and help the less fortunate. And Luca knew the clinic Gus was talking about: they offered daytime services only. No more night shifts. No more weekends.
No more exhausted husband. Luca was on board.
“It would mean less money,” Gus said.
Even though Gus argued against the idea, Luca could hear a spark of hope in his voice, an alertness he hadn’t heard in weeks. Maybe months.
Luca narrowed his eyes as irritation bubbled up inside him. It was clear Gus had given this a lot of thought but hadn’t even mentioned it to him. All because of the money?
He slammed his glass down. Then he grabbed Gus’s and slammed that, too, for good measure. He let go of his husband and squirmed out from behind him, positioning himself in front of Gus, with arms crossed over his chest.
“Gustav, what the hell?” Luca hissed. “Money? That’s your excuse?”
“But—”
“Your mom bought this house for us. Sure, she claims it’s a good investment, but we both know the truth! We pay her peanuts. The café does incredibly well, you know that. And we have savings if something happens.”
“But—”
“Shush!” Luca untangled his arms and made a zip-it-gesture in front of Gus’s mouth. Gus chuckled, and the happy sound defused Luca’s annoyance. He’d missed that sound. “Oh, honey,” he said and crawled over to Gus, straddling his husband’s hips. He gripped Gus’s chin and looked him straight in the eyes.
“Let me get this straight. And you answer with yes or no only. No buts. Understand?”
Gus nodded.
“Good. The director offered you a job?”
“Yes.”
“Not a volunteer position?”
“No.”
Luca rewarded Gus’s obedience with a kiss.
“You will get paid?”
“Yes.”
Another kiss, one lingering a little longer. Luca didn’t break it until Gus whimpered.
“So you’ll have an income, I’ll have an income, and your mom will still refuse to let us pay real rent?”
Gus nodded and leaned in, clearly expecting a kiss for being a good boy, but Luca held off.
“And you’ll work shorter hours?”
Gus hummed in confirmation, but it was an impatient sound. He leaned in even more, closed his eyes, and puckered his lips. Luca had to bite back a giggle at the sight of his husband wordlessly begging for a kiss. He relented and gave Gus what he wanted. It was a ghost of a kiss, but enough to coax a happy sound out of his husband.
“Do you know what would be great about you working less?” Luca asked after breaking the kiss. Gus shook his head. “You’d have more free time. Time to spend with our kids.”
Gus’s eyes flew open, and he yelped. “Really?”
Luca nodded. “Take the job.”
“Okay,” Gus whispered without hesitation.
Something settled inside of Luca when Gus agreed. It was as if someone had opened a valve and let out all the worry and anxiety.
Luca collapsed against Gus’s shoulder. “Okay,” he whispered back.
He swallowed around the lump in his throat and blinked. This was not the time for crying, even if they were happy tears. He had a plan, goddammit.
“Now that that’s out of the way, we move on to part two of my plan,” he murmured against Gus’s neck.
“There’s a plan?”
“Of course, there’s a plan.”
“So what’s part two?”
Luca could hear the amusement in Gus’s voice, and he smiled.
“Part two is a nap, and part three is where I show you my new underwear.”
“New underwear?”
Gus’s hand wandered down Luca’s back, all the way down to the waistband of his sweats. Gus pulled them down, intent on going directly to part three of Luca’s well-laid-out plan. Luca didn’t mind, happy Gus’s energy seemed to be returning. He wished he’d done this earlier and not waited all this time.
“I love you,” Luca whispered.
“Lace!” Gus exclaimed and tried to peek over Luca’s shoulder to see the famous underwear, and Luca burst out laughing. He shimmied out of the sweats and watched as Gus’s eyes bulged at the sight of the red lacy manties clinging to his hips and ass.
He turned his ass to Gus and wiggled his hips and laughed again at the desperate groan coming from his husband. He looked over his shoulder and saw Gus’s wide grin and the hunger blazing from his eyes.
And he knew everything was going to be fine.
No.
Everything was going to be perfect.
THE END
Gratefully His by Shawn Lane
Chapter 1
Sebastian Walton stared at the house his friend, Hector Rivera, grew up in and the house he’d spent a lot of time in himself. Once upon a time, as the story goes, the Waltons had a house just a few spaces down. But after high school his mom and dad had sold the house and retired to Arizona. Hector’s family had never left. Even now, after Hector’s dad had died of a heart attack three years ago, his mother wanted to stay in their home.
“It looks the same,” he told Hector as they stood at the curb having just exited Hector’s Honda sedan.
“We haven’t been gone that long. Just for Cecilia’s wedding. Besides, it always looks the same.” Hector went to the trunk and opened it, taking out their two small bags.
They were now in their senior year of college at Stanford in Northern California and they were here for a week’s visit between semesters.
Hector glanced at the Ford Hybrid in the driveway. “Looks like Pablo is here.”
Sebastian’s breath caught, his heart suddenly kicking up its pace. Pablo Rivera was Hector’s impossibly sexy older brother. Sebastian had spent most of his life having a bit of a boy crush on Pablo. When he was in high school, there had been that time—
“Earth to Sebastian.” Hector waved his hand in front of Sebastian’s face. “You okay?”
“Sorry, lost in memories.”
“Let’s go. Mama’s expecting us.”
Hector led the way to the familiar front door of the four bedroom ranch-style home. It had been painted the same burnt umber color since Sebastian was a small boy. The paint was cracking and peeling in places.
He’d had his first kiss here. Both of them. The one he’d shared with his high school girlfriend, Cecilia Rivera, Hector’s little sister, and the one in their swimming pool he’d shared with Pablo, Hector’s older brother.
It was the pool kiss that had meant the most to him. And had been the most shocking. He remembered it like yesterday. Pablo’s taste and smell…
* * * *
Sebastian watched Pablo as he stood on the diving board. The nineteen-year-old wore tiny little red swim trunks that barely covered his tight ass and showed off how large his dick was. As Sebastian stared at his golden brown skin, he stretched his muscular arms high above his head. Pablo
had hardly any chest hair and Sebastian wondered if he waxed. His mouth watered as his gaze lowered to Pablo’s washboard stomach and lower to that prominent bulge.
Pablo dived with barely any discernible splash, emerging several seconds later. His dark chin-length hair was wet and plastered to his head, and droplets of pool water clung to his cheeks, nose, and chin.
Sebastian turned away and swam to one side of the pool, holding onto the side. What the hell was wrong with him? He wasn’t supposed to be attracted to other guys. Hell, he was dating CeCe, Pablo and Hector’s sister. Boys didn’t like other boys. Not unless they were gay and he certainly couldn’t be gay, right?
He tried to ignore Pablo as he swam by, but it was almost impossible not to watch those muscular long legs kicking. Where was Hector, anyway? If his friend would hurry and come out to the pool he could distract Sebastian from Pablo.
Without even turning around, Sebastian knew Pablo had stopped right behind him. Sebastian held his breath. Should he swim away to the shallow end, putting safe distance between him and the object of his fascination?
Pablo felt so close, he could swear he felt the heat from Pablo’s body. His body reacted to the nearness, his dick rising against his own swim trunks.
“Sebastian.”
The word, a husky whisper with just a hint of an accent, caused his heart to clench, his lungs to seize. Part of him started to panic, thinking he should try to get away, swim under Pablo’s arm to freedom. But really, what was Pablo going to do or say? He didn’t need to fear anything.
Sebastian turned around, but still gripped the side of the pool. Pablo was closer than he had even thought. He stared directly into whiskey-brown eyes dotted with flecks of gold. He smelled faintly of strawberries and sunscreen. Sebastian dropped his gaze to Pablo’s sensual lips, which were curved into a sexy as sin smile.
His breath came in short little gasps as Pablo leaned toward him and touched his lips to Sebastian’s. It was not the gentle, hesitant kiss he’d shared with CeCe. But hot, demanding, exhilarating. Pablo pushed his tongue inside Sebastian’s mouth and suddenly he was clinging to Pablo’s shoulders, returning the kiss.
“You want a soda?” Hector called from just inside the house.
Sebastian pushed away from Pablo instantly, his face flaming hot. Pablo showed no reaction, but swam away.
* * * *
“Come in, come in,” Lucy Rivera, the warm and welcoming matriarch of the Rivera family, greeted them at the front door. “You’re late.”
She kissed and hugged Hector first and then turned to envelope Sebastian in her embrace. “Oh, you are too skinny.”
He laughed and kissed her cheek. “Not so.”
Hector sniffed the air as he set their bags down in the front hall. “Do I smell chile rellenos?”
“Yes, yes, that’s dinner.” The plump gray-haired woman looked down at their bags. “That’s all you brought?”
“We’re only here a week, Mama.”
“Boys. Come, Hector, you stay in your room, and Sebastian, you’ll stay in CeCe’s old room.”
They followed her down the short hallway to the bedrooms. CeCe had married last year to a man she had met the summer after high school. Sebastian and CeCe had already broken up by then. He still adored her, but more like a sister.
“Hey, is Pablo here?” Hector asked.
“Yes, your brother is staying here with me right now.”
Hector frowned. “I thought he was living with that guy. Um, Peter?”
Sebastian remembered when Pablo had come out as gay the year after their pool kiss. Which neither of them had mentioned after Hector had interrupted them. Sebastian had been waiting for Pablo to mention it, but he never had. Sebastian guessed maybe he regretted the kiss or thought Sebastian was the worst kisser. He didn’t know.
Then after coming out, Pablo had entered the police academy. From what Hector told him, most of the police Pablo worked with were cool with his sexuality, though he still got some flak.
As for the Riveras themselves, they’d accepted Pablo’s announcement like most things. As though it must be God’s will.
“It didn’t work out,” Mrs. Rivera said. “Pablo said it was amicable. I didn’t like him anyway.”
Sebastian smiled. “What was wrong with him?”
“Not good enough for my boy.”
He put his bag in CeCe’s old room. He remembered it from high school. She’d had it painted lilac back then and had matched all her bedding to her favorite color. Now it had been repainted an eggshell color and the bedding was beige and tan.
Sebastian remembered Pablo’s room was the one right next to hers. In fact, it was one of those Jack and Jill rooms with a door into the shared bathroom. CeCe used to complain about what a slob Pablo was. He smiled at the memory.
“Let’s go out to the patio,” Hector called from the hallway.
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Want a beer?”
“Sure.” He unzipped his bag and took out the small leather pouch he kept his sundries in and brought them into the bathroom, his gaze on the door that led to Pablo’s room. He bit his lip and took the few steps to the door and rested his hand on it.
Stupid of course. Pablo’s kiss had been years ago and no one even knew Sebastian was gay. He’d never told anyone. Not even Hector. He was still hiding it after all these years.
Shame washed over him. Hector and his family would accept him. He knew that. But his own family? Sebastian wasn’t so sure. But how long could he wait to deny that part of himself? He was twenty-two and living a lie.
Just a second too late, he felt the movement of the door under his hand, and the door opened. Sebastian blinked and stepped back as he came face-to-face with Pablo Rivera. Shirtless. Wearing only a pair of sweatpants.
Pablo didn’t seem surprised to see him standing there gaping. His lips had curved in the familiar sexy smile.
His once chin length hair was cropped short, like a cop, Sebastian supposed. He had a bit of a five o’clock shadow dusting his chin. And those whiskey-brown eyes looked…amused.
“Hi,” Sebastian squeaked. Oh, lord. What was he, a mouse?
“Hello, Sebastian.”
Same husky voice.
Jesus he was in deep shit.
“I guess we’re sharing a bathroom.” Pablo eyed the leather pouch clutched in Sebastian’s hand.
“Um, yeah. H-how are you, Pablo?”
“I’m good.” Pablo’s smile widened. “Very good.”
Chapter 2
Pablo had almost forgotten just how fucking adorable Sebastian Walton was. How long had it been since he’d seen the cute little blond? Probably last time was Cecilia’s wedding.
The messy windswept hair had darkened to a more honey blond than the bleached blond he’d had then. He liked it better. It went really well with the sky blue eyes framed by honey colored lashes. A more natural look.
Across the bridge of Sebastian’s nose was a smattering of freckles. Too sweet.
“I think I hear Hector calling you,” he said.
Sebastian continued to stare at him, rather like a deer caught in headlights. His tongue darted out to run over his bottom lip. It took everything in Pablo not to trap that tongue within his own lips. Later perhaps.
“Sebastian?”
“Oh. Yeah, sorry. It’s, well, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, I guess. You’re still a cop?”
He grinned. “Yes. And you’re still a student.”
“Just for a short time. I graduate next semester.”
“I love smart guys.” When Sebastian blushed, Pablo couldn’t help but be glad he’d said it. So adorable. “What is your major again?”
“Pre-med.”
“Ah, yes, I remember now. A doctor.” He folded his arms in front of his chest. “How sexy.”
“S-sexy?”
“Uh-huh. I think so anyway.” He tilted his head to the right side. “Girlfriend?”
“No.”
Pablo was pretty sure Sebastian was gay. Had been gay even back when Pablo had taken the chance and kissed him in the pool out back. But since then, Sebastian hadn’t said so. He’d certainly know if Sebastian had. Obviously the younger man had his reasons for keeping quiet. But Pablo was curious.
He stopped himself from speaking about it. Yet. “I think Hector wants you to join him in the backyard.”
Sebastian swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Right. Um. Thanks. See you?”
“Actually I thought I’d join you outside for a beer.”
Sebastian nodded. “Okay then.”
* * * *
Pablo slapped his brother on the back as he stepped outside holding the icy cold bottle of beer he’d chosen from the refrigerator. Hector sat at a round table with a blue umbrella looming over it for shade. Sebastian sat opposite him at the table. Beyond the cemented covered patio lay the gated pool area.
It was too cold for swimming just then. In a few months it would be spring and perhaps warm enough to swim again. He suspected he’d probably still be living at the old house.
He chose the lawn chair closest to Sebastian and plopped down heavily in it. With CeCe living with her husband in Palmdale, and Hector away at school, Mama was by herself. Or had been until he’d moved back. She had her friends and neighbors who’d look after her, but Pablo was glad she had him now. Peter had been a real dick. The thought of that made him smile a little. He’d been sorry it hadn’t worked out with Peter, but not sorry to be with Mama.
“Mama said you broke up with Peter,” Hector said, as though reading his mind.
Pablo took a large swallow of the cold beer. “He broke up with me.” He shrugged. “Not that it matters. I would have done it if he hadn’t. Irreconcilable differences.”
“I thought maybe he was a dirty cheater.”
“Nah, just an ass. It happens.” He leaned forward to ruffle Hector’s hair. “What about you, little brother? You got yourself a chica?”
Hector smacked him away. “Yes, as a matter of fact. I’m seeing a girl at school. Diane.”
“She didn’t want to come to meet us?”
